The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-03
The Pension Question.


70 the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
AS one of the comrades who enlisted in 1861,
was specially pleased with your editorial in last
Sundays issue defending the men and 1.-The boys
who came into our ranks in 1864 from the foul
and "slanderous abuse" heaped upon them by
such men as Bragg in Congress and the leading
daily press of the country generally" 1t is
time to call halt to these SANDERS upon the
men who saved the country from destruction
and secured to the great wealth of this country
the title to its Ill gotten gains IN too manv cases,
and of which the press has become the subservi-
ent mouth piece in the great centers of wealth
and business in the last few years. 1t is time
this country, if it would be saved in the near
future from violent demonstrations against the
insane policy that has worshiped blindly at the
shrine Of ''mammon" in Congress the last twenty
years, should halt and 60 back to some of the
first principles of honesty proclaimed aud prac-
ticed by our fathers and later On by tho immor-
tai Lincoln and Morton. Mr.. Lincoln said this
government could not exist half slave and half
free" which might with propriety he changed to
now read: This government cannot exist and
be perpetuated on a dishonest basis toward its
defenders in time Of war which the future
historian will surely write down against it as he
looks into the statutebooks from 1862 to 1887 and
finds but one rating for the man of money.
with his wealth turned into bonds exempted
from taxation, after the war was virtually over,
and finds one hundred and thirty-one ratings
against the men who lent life and stood between
the great fortunes created out Of our success dur
ing the war and utter humiliation The thousand
technical laws and rules that have been interpo-
lated by Congress between the soldiers of 1861
and an honest settlement in the last five years,
will sooner or later bring upon our country the
avenging hand of Almighty God, unless they
return to an honest policy and deal honestly IN
the future with the survivors of that war; and
stop the degrading and infamous aspersions
now being cast upon our surviving comrades by
the President and every turnkey in and out Of
Congress in all parties. The honest settlement
of this matter now demands of Congress a law
that will pension every honorably discharged
regular or volunteer soldier of that war; for
life, at minimum rate of So per month, and
moro for disabilities that prevent them in any
degree from following their usual vacations;
| and they should all be examined within twelve
months from the passage of such law within
| their respective congressional districts by
| surgeons who were In the service, their
rates fixed by said boards, and make
which requires an average of four years to prove
| a claim and compels the soldier to pay fee for
| it. Not more than one soldier in fifty can now
prove claim. It il costing the country toe
| much to maintain the army of officers employees
and claim agents connected with this business.
| and Congress should relieve itself OF all this
| special pension legislation and the President
| from writing harsh veto messages by passing
| the law indicated and in fixing the term of serv
ice necessary The will Of the man to face death,
and not the term of service, should be the rule
Almost every family in the loyal States wa.
represented in the ranks in 62-'3 ana a by a.
noble and true boys and men as ever faced thu
foe, and had the war continued would have seen
| and felt their share Of its dangers and priva
| tons
large part Of this cry about reducing tn,
tariff comes from class that does not want t